Dear residents of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg Ost constituency,

My name is Katrin Schmidberger and I’m your Green Party candidate for the upcoming election on February 23. With this letter I’d like to introduce myself to you and invite you to exchange your ideas and thoughts with me. 

People, Not Profits

Confronted with recent events and the economic situation, I, too, sometimes struggle to stay confident. For more and more people, money to live on is becoming increasingly scarce. Many citizens turn to me saying that things are no longer fair in our country, and I share this impression. 

Especially in the housing market, we bear witness to a lot of injustice. Instead of affordable apartments for the many, housing is being built for the rich only. Tenants are worried that they will no longer be able to afford their homes. Many Berliners tell me about how they received notices of termination due to the apartment owner’s personal use. Most of the time, however, these notices are only about re-renting the place at a higher price. 

Protecting tenants – house by house

I want to counter this situation with policies of solidarity that focus on the people. For 13 years I’ve been fighting for fair housing policies for you as a parliamentarian in Berlin’s state parliament. I have pushed for the right of first refusal to avoid that apartments fall to the hands of profit-oriented investors. For you to be able to know your rights and exercise them, I helped introduce free rent consultations in all districts of Berlin. I personally stood up for tenants to prevent evictions in individual cases, too. „Protecting tenants – house by house“ that was and is my motto

But that’s not enough! In 2019, I helped push through the rent cap at the state level. Tenants were able to breathe a sigh of relief. However, the Federal Constitutional Court has ruled that a rent cap is only possible at the federal level. 

Rent cap and rent freeze at the federal level

That’s why I want to fight for a rent cap in the federal parliament that will allow cities with tight housing markets to regulate rents themselves. Further, we need a five-year rent-freeze until we have solutions. 

Only through the federal government can we make personal use under false pretense punishable and close loopholes to protect leases from termination. Only at the federal level can we prevent the displacement of older and low-income people.

It is social associations, kindergartens, and little shops that make our district as attractive as it is, but all of them are currently threatened by high rents. Even though I was able to prevent some terminations in individual cases, we are powerless without instruments like commercial rent index and protection from lease termination for small businesses. This too can only be achieved through the federal government.

Fair taxation for a fair society  

Injustice extends beyond housing markets. We can’t accept any longer that the state doesn’t have the means for crucial infrastructure like public transport, culture, health, and climate protection, while a small group of super-rich people is getting richer and richer.

It’s clear to me: Climate protection cannot be a question of income. Families, retired citizens, interns, and students must get relief. And those who have a lot should contribute more. 

Every year, Germany loses approximately 100 billion Euros because of financial fraud and tax avoidance by the wealthy. That’s why it’s so important that we fight harder against financial fraud. If, for instance, someone inherits more than 300 apartments, currently they pay no inheritance tax. This is not fair.

Instead of pitting people with low and middle incomes against each other, I demand a wealth tax. This way we can collect an extra 65 billion Euros annually, which we can invest in social and climate-friendly projects that improve our lives and our children’s lives. 

For a vibrant and open-minded Berlin

Berlin is not defined by highways but by lively neighborhoods with green spaces, room for kids to play, a vibrant culture, and club scene. That’s why I am committed to stopping the extension of the A100 motorway at the federal level. 

Together with you, I would like to stand up for a cosmopolitan and solidarity-based life in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg East. Along with civil society, I stand against right-wing hatred and incitement. And as a long-time employee of Christian Ströbele, I have learned how important it is to make a policy that combines the fight on the streets with the debates in parliament. In doing so, I’m always available to you: during consultation hours in my office, at information stands, and in the streets with you. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you need support. 

You have two votes in this election: Only if I receive a majority of first votes in the constituency can I represent you and the people in the constituency in the Bundestag, and I ask you to vote for Bündnis 90/Die Grünen with your second vote.

I ask for your trust. If you give me your first vote, I will be a strong and independent voice for you and this constituency. 

Sincerely,

Katrin Schmidberger